Love Means Never Having To Compel
by soulache
Summary: in the aftermath of the neck snapping, katherine comes out of the woodwork once more forcing damon & elena much closer than elena would have ever liked  ... at first . DAMON/ELENA
1. L Is For The Way You Loathe Me

Damon hadn't meant to do it, but exactly what kind of excuse was that? '_I'm sorry, but I lost it for a second there and I snapped your brother's neck' _wouldn't really fly with Elena - or 99.9% of the female population... at least, not if they were wearing vervane. Which she was. Not that he could bring himself to compel her now anyways. Maybe months ago he could've, when he first arrived and she was just his brother's Achilles heel, a way to make those bloodless veins stand out in Stefan's neck. Things were more complicated now.

Sitting in front of the fireplace, watching the flames flicker and leap, he tried not to think about the look on Elena's face when he left her there with her brother's body. He didn't like this feeling, this ache in his gut, this unbearable remorse. He had escaped those bonds when he had turned, and he was free, and now he was choosing to feel this. Choosing to be more man than beast. It was a bad idea, and Damon knew when he thought something was a bad idea, then it was usually a very, very bad idea.

His thoughts were swirling about all disjointed and raving, putting him a near trance until he heard a knock on the door. Sighing, he put down his glass of scotch and got up to answer it. Steeling himself with his age old smirk and air of indifference he swung the door open only to be greeted by the slim girl who was causing him such pathetic - really, almost laughable - angst.

"Elena. What're you doing here?" he asked.

"It's Tuesday," she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"It's also 2010, but that doesn't really answer the question," he said with an eyeroll.

"School. Stefan, your brother, is a student. We're dating, therefore, we arrive to school together."

"Oh right, I almost forgot you two were joined at the hip," Damon replied, clenching a fist. He casually tilted his head to the side and leaned an arm against the door frame. "What do you think Katherine would make of it?"

"I'm sure she'd be unhappy, but she doesn't really strike me as the sunshine and gumdrops type either way. I'm sure just knowing I was with Stefan would be more than enough to invoke her wrath. And why am I talking to you?"

"Because I'm in your way and you want to get inside. Also, probably partly because of my wit and charm."

"Gag me."

"That's forward," he replied with a smirk.

"Gross," she said shoving him out of her way. "And grosser. You smell like a brewery."

"Yeah, well..." Damon started to reply but when he turned around, she was already half way up the stairs, on her way to his brother - who no doubt smelled of musk of Cullen, or something equally appealing to women.

Sitting back in his chair, he tried not to listen to their muffled laughter and too obvious heavy silence. When they came back down the stairs, he didn't turn - Damon didn't need any images of Elena with mussed hair and crooked clothes in his mind with all the other thoughts in there already. She said nothing to him, but he heard his brother's brief promise to return later in the night taking with him the life he had learned he wanted much too late.

He didn't know how to make it right, or if he should even try. Eventually, he knew, he was likely to snap again. He wasn't the good guy – he had known that all along. Just like he knew he was never the brother who got the girl in the end. So why try? But still, Elena had a pull over him, gravitational, unexplainable. As if she, herself, were the one compelling him. And from where he was sitting, that would be the easier reality to swallow.

As Damon rested his chin in his hand, leaning forward, it was only then that he realized that he did, in fact, smell like a brewery.


	2. O Is For The Only Option I See

**O Is For The Only Option I See**

It was just another regular Thursday when Katherine reared her extremely similar to Elena's head. Her attack, which consisted of compelling Jenna to stab herself in the stomach with a steak knife, had left her aunt in the hospital and her own hands relatively clean of blood. The reason? Besides being a huge, undead bitch was this: Stefan.

"Listen," Stefan said tersely, pacing her bedroom as she sat helplessly on the bed, "I have to protect you and I can't do that when being near enough to you to protect you is only putting you in harm."

"No, Stefan, come on. We discussed this. If it wasn't you, Katherine would find some other reason to go after me. We're stronger together."

She pulled a pillow on to her lap and played with the frayed edges. Elena thought that she should feel something, but she didn't. She was just… numb. Far away. That was probably the shock though. Eventually it would hit her and there would be tears and countless journal entries. Happiness never made for good writing anyways, she thought somewhat cynically.

"I just don't… know what to do," Stefan said, leaning back against her dresser.

"I do," came a voice.

Elena looked up to see Damon standing by the edge of her bed. He had one of her stuffed bears in his hand and was painstakingly adjusting the bowtie around his neck. She didn't even question how he got here or had heard their conversation. It wouldn't be the first time he had lurked outside of her house – he was a skulker.

"Oh great. The wise voice of reason is here," Elena said sarcastically.

"First of all, ouch. Don't think I can't tell that was sarcasm, Elena. I'm not just a pretty face, you know."

"Is he ever going to get to his point?" Elena asked Stefan who stood defensively, arms crossed.

"The solution is so simple. Why settle for the rest when you can have the best?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Dump Stefan. Date me," Damon said with a mischievous grin.

"Gross, Damon. I just ate," Elena said, even though she hadn't eaten in quite a while. Her stomach protested any time she went near the kitchen.

"Don't flatter yourself," Damon shot back, rolling his eyes. "Katherine wants Stefan, not me. You date me, I can be around to look out for you. I mean, how hard would it be for her to believe her facesake has a penchant for both the Salvator brothers?"

"That is one of the more wildly stupid things you've said. Stefan, tell him," she instructed, getting up to stand next to her boyfriend. Suddenly a heavy silence filled the room, and she looked at him in disbelief. "Tell him, Stefan."

"It's… Elena, just try to be reasonable. It does make sense. And it's safer than me being around you. She doesn't care about Damon the way she cares for me."

Elena snuck a glance at Damon, afraid that Stefan's words would twist that certain arrow, then caught herself. Why should she care? He certainly hadn't cared when he had tried to kill 50% of the family she still had left. Damon, however, was walking around the room, picking her things up, and then putting them back down after examining them.

"Yeah, Elena. Be reasonable. It's not like I want to spend my time babysitting you. You aren't exactly pleasant these days," he said with a smirk.

"Excuse me if I don't want to spend my time with some uncaring, selfish, undead man-child," she said with force. For a second, she thought she saw hurt cross his features, but it was gone just as fast. Clearly, she was seeing things. Damon was dead – outside, inside… dead in every possible way.

"Listen, you have a problem and I have a solution. Our 'relationship'," Damon said, making air quotes, "would be as real as you and my baby brother's break up."

"Elena, it's the only option I can see. We could stage a break up and leave it at that, but you'd have no one here to protect you and your family," Stefan said, striding forward and cupping her face in his hands, "I love you and I would do anything to be with you. This won't be forever. I promise you. I'll fix this."

"…okay. I know I'm going to regret this, but okay," Elena said.

"Goody! Where do we start?" Damon asked, clapping his hands in fake enthusiasm.

"Public break up is always a good start," Elena muttered, not really wanting any part in this.

"Okay, but guys," Damon said putting an arm around each of them and pulling them into his side, "make sure Elena breaks up with you. The other way just doesn't make any sense."****

**  
**


	3. V Is Very, Very Imaginary

"I'll kill him!" Stefan shouted, gesturing wildly to his older brother.

Heads at the Grill turned to look at the couple, excited at the prospect of a slow train wreck. Stefan's whole body was turned toward the bar on the other side, where Damon stood watching the couple with concern. Elena was pulling at Stefan's arm when he started to stride towards his brother.

"Stefan, please! Would you, please, just listen?" Elena begged, tears gathering in her eyes.

"What could you possibly have to say? He forced himself on you just because he knew you're mine. He has to learn, Elena, that he can't mess with the people I love."

"... Stefan, please... that's not... that's not what happened," Elena said, lowering her voice.

"What? What do you mean! Of course that's what happened, look at him! Just standing there, gloating!"

But contrary to Stefan's words, Damon's eyes betrayed nothing but the desire to intervene on Elena's sake. His fists were clenched and his gaze never strayed from her face, taking in her sharp posture and dismay. Next to him, was a glass of scotch that he had been nursing a half hour before as he had, silently, kept his eyes on her.

"I... let him kiss me," Elena said to Stefan, hating every word as it came out of her mouth.

"You what?"

"I let him, Stefan."

"Why? Why would you ever do that, Elena?" he asked her, drawing back from her, stung.

"Because I... I've been having these feelings for Damon," Elena said, trying to keep her voice low despite the fact that the Grill was now hushed, everyone straining towards their own personal drama.

"When? Since when? How long has this been going on?" Stefan demanded with anger.

"Since the road trip we went on. I just... Stefan, I'm so sorry. I never meant for this to happen, but I can't help the way I feel. I know it's not fair..."

"Not fair? Not fair? You've been cheating on me with my own brother! That's just... disgusting. Who does that, Elena?" he asked.

Elena flinched. She knew it was supposed to be pretend, he didn't mean any of it. But his words took her breath away like a lash and as she took a step back she found Damon standing there next to her.

"You," Damon said in a low, threatening voice, "do not talk to her like that. Do you understand me?"

Stefan, going with the moment, threw a punch at his older brother. Damon absorbed it, looking mildly annoyed at best, and then gently pushed Elena half behind him so she had to peek around him to see what was going on.

"If we were anywhere else, I would hit you back, but I know Elena still cares very much about you and I would hate to upset her anymore than you already have."

"This has got to be a joke!" Stefan said with a cynical snort. "Of all people, coming from you, this has to be a joke."

Elena smoothly and gracefully stepped between the two brothers and pressed her hand against Stefan's chest, trying to make eye contact with him, though he refused. Profoundly hurt, she drew back and found herself bumping into Damon's hard chest and then suddenly felt his hand on her waist.

"Come on, Elena," Damon said. "Let me take you home?"

Damon turned to her and held out his hand, looking every bit the protective, loving boyfriend. Elena looked one last time at Stefan, who was running his hand through his hair and laughing to himself. Nodding, she slipped her small hand into his and felt his fingers wrap around hers.

Linked, their hands dropped between the two of them as they left the Grill. Though Elena wanted very much to remove her hand from his she knew Katherine or even Caroline could be watching, so she left it there. Damon, however, felt countless years of pain and stress melt away as he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. The stars glittered overhead as they made their way down the street in silence with Elena unknowingly leaning into him from the impact of Stefan's words - and Damon, more than happy to receive any burden she was carrying upon himself. 


	4. E Is Even More Lying

"Goodnight, Elena," Damon said after he had walked her up to her door and removed her warm hand from his.

He leaned in and noticed her trying not to pull back. Her dark brown eyes were full of questions, but he only smirked and brushed his lips over her cheek. He could hear her heart skittering in her chest.

"That was a little much, Damon," Elena whispered, glaring at him.

"Try not to wipe your cheek off until you're inside," he whispered back, winking at her.

"No promises," she said, shifting.

"So," Damon said, his voice back at it's normal pitch, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Uh, what?"

"Come on, honey. I know you're embarrassed that you have to do something as trivial as high school while dating someone who has, well, more worldly knowledge than they could ever teach you. But it's important to you silly mortals," he said as he played with a strand of her hair that had fallen over her shoulder.

"You're enjoying this way too much," Elena whispered.

"I enjoy being in love with you," he said, a devilish twinkle in his ice blue eyes. "I'll pick you up tomorrow, okay?"

"Sounds great," Elena said with a roll of her eyes.

"Work with me here, Elena," he whispered.

"I can't wait!" she said with a big smile. "Are we still on for tomorrow night?"

"Definitely," Damon replied.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning then," Elena said.

"Mhm. Try to get some sleep, I know tonight was difficult for you," Damon said, with a hint of sincerity in his voice.

Before Elena could open the door, Damon had pulled her against his chest and wrapped his arms around her. Of all the things she could imagine Damon doing, most of them being horrible and vile, initiating a hug was not one of them. But she supposed he wanted Katherine out of his life just as much as any of them did given the recent turn of events. Elena rested her forehead against his shoulder and gave him a non-committal squeeze, noticing how nice he smelt.

He released Elena and watched her go inside and then stood on the porch for a little longer. He couldn't help but wish he could've held her just a bit longer – she fit into his arms so perfectly, like Katherine. But unlike Katherine, she also fit into the hole in his unbeating heart in way he knew Katherine never could. Tilting his head to the side, he decided to take a listen. Almost immediately he heard the quick, heavy footsteps of her younger brother.

"What were you doing with him?" Jeremy demanded.

"What were you doing spying on me?" she countered.

"I wasn't spying, I was watching for the pizza I ordered since I can't cook and you refuse to go in the kitchen still," Jeremy shot back.

Damon's brow furrowed. She refused to go into the kitchen anymore? How was she getting enough food to keep her energy up? As much as he hated and was terrible at the feel-good, concerned type talks, he knew he would have to speak to her about it since Stefan, who he had no doubt could easily fix the situation, was currently no longer allowed anywhere near her.

"Listen, Jer. I know you don't understand what happened that night... Damon, he didn't mean to hurt you. It was all Katherine. And some day, you'll see like I do, that there is good in him."

"I can't believe you would do this!" Jeremy exclaimed.

"Jer, come on!" Elena pleaded, tears thickening her voice in a way that made Damon's gut ache.

"No. Just don't bother, Elena," he said.

Damon could hear him bounding up the stairs and slamming his door. Elena sniffled a little, and took off her jacket. He heard her turn on her heel towards the door. Damon continued to listen, waiting for her to leave or move, but she didn't. He began counting the beats of her heart.

"Damon," she said, "go home. You're supposed to be my boyfriend, not my stalker."

He smirked, hearing the fire back in her voice and took off into the night, the way monsters like him were supposed to.


	5. L Is For The Way You Laugh At Me

"Good morning, Elena," said Damon.

He had been waiting for her to leave her house, leaning lazily against the car, listening on and off to the chaos inside the Gilbert household. As she walked out, slamming the door behind her, she was busy sorting through books in her messenger style bag. At his voice she stopped and looked at him with confusion and irritation.

"Damon, I don't have time for your antics today, okay? There's already no way I'm going to make it to school in time for the test that I didn't have time to study for –"

"Ah, how quickly they forget," he mused. "I told you I would drive you to school today."

"Yeah, well, you say a lot of things. For my sake, and the rest of Mystic Falls' sake, I tend to hope ninety-nine percent of them are in jest," she returned with an easy grimace.

"God, you're hot when you sneer," Damon said with a laugh. "Stop being difficult, _dear_, and get in so I can hang that D- test on my fridge."

Without a word Elena walked around the passenger side of the car, but Damon beat her there, holding the door open and shutting it carefully once she was in. By the time he was in the car, she had buckled herself up and was staring out the window at her brother, who was just now leaving down the sidewalk.

"Did you have breakfast?" Damon asked her.

The question caused Elena to whip her head around and straighten her spine defensively. He noticed her nervously adjusting her seatbelt as he started up the car and pulled out of the driveway. Probably wasn't the best way to start the conversation, he knew, but it was better than seeing her sulk like a kicked puppy.

"I was late today. I didn't have time," she said.

"From what Jeremy said, you haven't been going near your kitchen," Damon replied, not taking his eyes off the road.

"Yeah, well, when you eavesdrop you don't always hear things you like," Elena snapped.

"I'm just…" Damon started, unsure how to continue. He didn't want to sound stupid. He knew that she was done with him, and no matter how hard he tried he couldn't take back That Night.

"You're just…?"

"… I don't know, Elena. Worried?" Damon said frustrated. "You need to be eating. Vampires and humans alike, we all need to maintain a healthy diet."

"How is what I eat any of your business?"

"It isn't," Damon said. "But we both know what Saint Stefan would be saying to you if he knew. So, as his fill in, I'm just giving you the same lecture. As discipline goes, I've never been good with speeches. I'm much better with spanking."

"And now I'm glad I didn't eat breakfast," Elena said with a laugh that surprised the both of them.

Finally pulling into the school, Elena got out of the car, but with his speed Damon was already on her side, waiting to say goodbye to her. And, as usual, he was one or two steps too close to her. Elena backed up until her butt hit the car door.

"Thank you for the ride, Damon," Elena said.

"Hold that thought," he said.

Elena watched as he opened the back door and leaned in to pull something out. It was paper bag. She watched curiously as he opened the bag and pulled out a plump, green apple that shone a little in the sun. Her stomach grumbled and Damon grinned, hearing it.

"It's not much, I know, but it's something," Damon said handing her the apple.

Elena didn't thank him, but smiled a small smile, turning over the apple in her hands. She was taking her first bite into it when Damon got into the drivers seat and rolled down the passenger's window.

"So, I'll see you tonight!" he called.

"What? Did we have plans?" Elena questioned, her brow furrowed in confusion.

"It was your idea," he said with a smirk.

"I was just…" Elena said, but he drove off, leaving her there with her apple, which damn him, was delicious. 


	6. O Is For Ordering Chinese

"How did you…?" Elena asked Damon after she had walked into her house.

In her dining room were two plates set on the table, glasses each filled with ice water, forks and knives wrapped up in napkins – restaurant style. And in between all of this was an impressive flurry of Chinese food containers. The delicious, mingling scents from the separate dishes made her stomach clench and growl insistently as she dropped her bag.

"I ordered it. Just like everyone else capable of using a telephone," Damon said. Elena simply glared at him. "Okay, okay. Easy there, tiger. How did I what?"

"Well, for starters, how did you get Jenna to leave? After the Katherine thing, I've been making sure she has vervane in her system."

"I'm both shocked and offended you would even imply that, Elena," Damon said while pulling out a chair for her to sit down. "Besides, I think you underestimate my charm."

"I think you overestimate it," she said with a dry voice.

"Okay, so I might've had a little help from Alaric," he said with a laugh.

"Ah, that makes sense. I guess after all the man-flirting you two ought to be pretty close," she said casually, taking a sip of her water.

"Excuse me?" Damon asked with a hooked eyebrow, sitting down opposite to her.

"You two totally have a love/hate gay crush thing going on," she said with a laugh. Elena ignored Damon's temporarily shocked face and leaned over, grabbing one of the boxes. "Oh! Chicken fried rice, yum!"

Damon snatched the container out of her hand smartly, and set it back down. He rested his weight on his forearms and gave her an unimpressed look. Elena only smiled innocently in turn.

"There is no man-flirting. Or gay crushes. We're just friends. It may be hard for you to recognize since all of Stefan's friends have fallopian tubes, but…." Damon said, grabbing a chicken ball from one of the containers and biting into it, "That's just how it is. Now be nice, or I won't feed you."

"Fair enough," Elena said easily.

The next few minutes passed quietly, the two of them eating in companionable silence, only breaking it to ask the other to "please pass the _." Elena was beginning to feel full, so took a break from eating, pushing around one of her chicken balls with the handle of her fork.

"Full?" he asked her.

"Brief intermission," Elena said with a grin.

"You're in a good mood," Damon noted. "Did you have a good day?"

"Not particularly. Not bad, just… the same, you know?"

"100 years and some change of it, yeah. I get it," Damon said, smirking. "So, _honey, _how was school?"

"Not funny, Damon," she said, referring to his mocking, mom-type voice.

"Did you make any new friends?" he asked.

Elena simply rolled her eyes. She resumed eating at a much slower pace than before and a few pregnant minutes passed before Damon let out a dramatic sigh.

"You teenagers! So sullen and secretive. I only ask because I care, Elena!" he said. "But seriously, any good chick fights?"

"Please, I have enough drama in my life at the moment," she said. "How has… Stefan been?"

"Okay. The break-up was hard for him. He misses you," Damon said easily. Elena got the message and sent him a small, thankful smile. Damon grinned back at her. "But enough about my little brother, have I told you how ravishing you look today? The three o'clock light looks good on you." 


	7. V Is Very, Very Visionary

"What are you doing?" Elena asked Damon, nodding towards the paper and pencil he was holding.

"I can tell you what I'm not doing: being nosy," he told her.

Elena laughed. It had been a few days since they had dinner together, and she was becoming a little more relaxed around him. Sure, he still gave her a hard time, but he wouldn't be Damon if he didn't. And he was trying – trying to be her friend, trying to give her a little bit of room. She appreciated it, but wasn't sure how to tell him. So she didn't.

She was curled up on her bed, still wearing her school clothes, just unwinding. She had been reading a little, something she hadn't had time for in quite a while. Elena had chosen a copy of The Hunger Games when she had stopped at the bookstore. It was a story about a girl bent on survival. She figured she could relate, or at the very least, pick up some tips to keep herself alive.

"Come on, Damon. Are you writing something?" Elena asked.

"Please, I'll leave that to you and my little brother," he said with a laugh.

"What? I like writing," Elena said defensively.

"Nothing against it," Damon replied easily. "In this case, you're just searching for depth in a shallow puddle."

"I hardly agree with that," Elena said as she fingered the cover of her novel. She saw Damon raise his eyebrow and took that as a sign to explain. "I mean, if there's one thing you don't lack, it's depth."

"Thanks, I think," Damon said.

"Well, seriously, being a vampire is pretty much a whole new depth in itself. Now tell me what you're doing."

"I caught Stefan staring at a picture of the two of you today," Damon said, changing the subject.

"I miss him," Elena replied simply. "But you can't just distract me that easily. I'm not a cat, and Stefan isn't one of those laser pointer lights."

"You'd be in more danger from him if you were a cat," Damon said laughing. He saw Elena scowling at him and tried to gather himself. "I thought it was funny."

She grew quiet for a few seconds and watched him intently, and then it became clear to her what he was doing. He was drawing! The way he was holding the pencil, the sweep of his arm over the page, the concentration on his face. God, she was usually more observant.

"What are you drawing?" Elena asked him.

"Doodling."

"You're doodling?" Elena asked him, skeptically.

"It's been over a century, my dear," he said. "I've pretty much honed my doodling skills."

"The fake modesty doesn't suit you," she said. "I mean, I just can't picture you doing anything unless you were the best at it."

"I have," Damon said, quietly.

"Like what?" Elena said with a laugh.

"Like loving," he replied sombrely.

They both grew quiet after that. So quiet that she could hear the scrape of the pencil against the paper, rasping, creating. He wasn't looking up at anything, so he must be drawing from memory, she thought. She picked her book back up and read a few more chapters until he came up next to her bed, the piece of paper folded in his hand.

"It's getting late. I'll watch out for you tonight, but I should go before Jenna tries to castrate me," he said.

"Yeah," Elena agreed.

"Thank you for the lovely evening, Elena," he said. He pressed the folded paper into her hand and was gone as soon as her fingers curled around it.

Curiosity overwhelmed her and she opened it quickly. Katherine. Elena's heart dropped unexplainably as she looked at the face so much like her own staring back at her. It was exquisite, life-like. He had drawn the eyes warm, almost laughing, something she had never seen her look like. It made sense why he hadn't needed to look up at anything to draw it. She went to close it again when she saw something she hadn't noticed before, being so struck by the eyes.

Around the neck was her necklace. Her necklace. Down to the last detail. It was… her. He had been drawing her. Elena felt heat creep into her cheek, causing them to flush. Her heart, which just moments ago had dropped down to her stomach was aching sweetly, swollen, full of something she couldn't really name. Didn't want to name.

"Thank you," she whispered, knowing he could hear her as he watched the house. "It's… beautiful. You made me beautiful."


	8. E Is Even More Than Seatbelts Allow

Damon was parked outside of the highschool. He watched the students rushing out after the bell and started his engine. He had texted Elena, an act that he found thoroughly repulsive, that he would pick her up after her classes were over. Through the swarm of kids, he finally spotted her. She was walking quickly forward while pulling a hand through her hair. Before he could get out to open the door, she was in the car, slamming it behind her. Damon flinched at the sound.

"Hey, careful with the –" he began jokingly.

"What? You want to yell at me, too? Go ahead!" Elena snapped as she buckled herself in.

Suddenly, even with the radio on, the car seemed to be extremely quiet. He looked at her, a little shocked. She stared back at him for a fraction of a second, shocked at her outburst, and then crumpled forward starting to cry. Damon felt panic bloom inside his chest.

"S-sorr-ry," she said between sobs. "I didn't, didn't m-mean to…"

"Hey, don't worry about it," he said. "Are you… okay?"

Elena nodded into her hands, still crying, and refusing too look at him. Damon felt extremely awkward, which wasn't an emotion he was familiar with. Sure, he had come across his fair share of crying women, but he wasn't required to comfort them. Only compel, feed, kill. Or compel, feed, turn. Or, as was the case most often, compel, feed, send home.

"You don't seem okay," Damon said.

"Wh-what gave me a-away?"

"Mostly? The crying," Damon said ruefully. "Did you have a bad day?"

"Jer-Jermy and I fought. Then, then Bon-Bonnie got in on it, and C-Caroline," she said, and suddenly began crying twice as hard. "An-nd I haven't, haven't been able t-to talk to Stef-Stef-an."

He watched as she leaned forward on her elbows and sobbed into her hands with new found energy. He felt… terrible. This was his fault. He was causing her pain even just trying to help her, but she needed him. And he couldn't stop, because somewhere he hated to admit, he needed her. Maybe more – definitely more – than she needed him.

Damon reached out his hand towards the back of her head, but froze. Should he…? Gathering his courage, while berating himself for being scared of this, of all things. He tenderly ran his hand through her hair, unable not to notice how soft it was. As she continued to cry, he set up a steady rhythm, running his hand from the top of her head down to were her hair stopped just below her shoulderblades.

Elena surprised him by turning her head towards him, straining against her seatbelt to rest her head against his chest. Damon reached between them and undid it, untangling her and then drawing her closer for what could almost pass as a hug. She quieted as he rubbed her back and then, sooner than he would've liked, pulled away from him and wiped at her eyes.

"Sorry," Elena said. "I've just been –"

"No explanations needed," he said cutting her off. "I subscribe to the weekly Life & Times of Mystic Falls updates, so I was expecting it. Something about… a psychotic bitch trying to ruin your life?"

"Yeah," Elena said with a pathetic smile.

"I got a movie for tonight," Damon said shooting her a crooked smile as he pulled out of the parkinglot. "I'll do my best not to hit on you while you're vulnerable, but it'll be totally against my nature."

"Like comforting a crying girl?"

"No comment," Damon said, enjoying the sound of her laugh, even if it was waterlogged.


End file.
